Christmas Magic
by Zoja
Summary: Due to some unexpected circumstances, Jack and Sue need to change their plans for Christmas. By accident, they find out that the other was forced to stay in D.C. as well and decide to spend this magical time together. Will anything come out of it?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** I can't help wondering if it's actually a good idea to be writing this story (especially instead of an essay, which is due in two weeks, but shhh), but it came to me and doesn't want to stop nudging me to get written. There is still some time left until Christmas, but I hope to finish it by then, so I have to start early! I hope you're going to enjoy this seasonal dose of fluff from me! :)

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><p><strong>CHAPTER 1<strong>

Jack couldn't do much more than sigh, when he arrived at the airport and looked at the departures board. He wasn't surprised to see that his plane was delayed, just like all the others to Wisconsin and other northern states. He was prepared to see that; it wasn't like he wasn't aware of the heavy snowfall, which managed to ruin plans for Christmas of a huge number of people, who weren't able to travel to their families, because of the cancelled flights. On his way there, he still had a tiny little bit of hope, but now it was completely gone. He was staying in D.C. and spending Christmas on his own, as most of his friends left for holidays.

The only person, who stayed in the area was Myles, but he decided to spend the time with his sister. However, even if it wasn't the case, he would be one of the last people, who Sparky wanted to spend this time with. He liked the man, he couldn't deny that, but he was afraid that being in his company for too long could be a little too much. Bobby was in Australia, Tara in Idaho, Lucy with her grandmother and Sue with one of her older brothers. It was, at least, what he thought, until he went to the park, where she was always walking Levi.

He didn't even know why he actually went there, especially that she wasn't supposed to be there. There weren't many people around; everyone was generally hurrying home to their families to finish preparations or doing very late Christmas shopping. He didn't have the need to do either, and it was in a way his heart, that led him to this place. Just like they always seemed to be doing whenever he didn't have anything to focus on, his thoughts drifted off to his beautiful blonde friend and this place, other than her apartment, the bullpen and their favourite restaurants, was one of those, where they were spending the biggest amount of time together.

Ever since her decision to stay in D.C. a couple of months earlier, they almost haven't been spending any time apart. Whenever they weren't working on the case, they would go to Montrose, to the Little Bookworm club, to a hockey match (it wasn't that she didn't like the sport earlier, she has just never really been a huge fan, and she was surprised to realise that she turned into one because of those outings), to the restaurant for a dinner or simply to Jack's place with some take-away, but always together. The only exceptions were the days, when Hudson was attending ASL classes, which she was surprised to find out he was going to for about two years now. On the other hand, now she understood how he managed to make such a progress in her first language, when she really wasn't teaching him THAT much. Still, those were the evenings, which she spent with her flatmate, who wasn't sure whether she should be happy or frustrated by the turn of events.

She would surely be ecstatic if it was all the result of or followed by confession of love on Jack's part, but even now, so many months later, they were still 'just friends'. It was unbelievable in her opinion; they seemed to have grown even closer during those months and yet, they still haven't made this one tiny step. Whenever she suggested that they could have a girls night and heard that her flatmate has already made plans with Hudson, she couldn't help wondering if it wouldn't be easier if Sue just moved in with Jack, as she was at his place way more often than at their. Yet, she could see that her friend was happy and as long as there was the hope, that Mr. Turtle was going to voice his feelings one day, she was happy as well.

Sparky knew that it was the way Lucy felt, because she didn't hesitate to drop him hints that he could finally reveal his feelings, and there were moments when he wanted nothing more but to do that. He was afraid, though, that if she didn't feel the same way, he would lose her and it was something he didn't even want to think about. If there was one thing he was certain about, it was that he couldn't imagine his life without her. There were moments when he thought that she did reciprocate his feelings and he was right on the edge of making them known, only to be stopped by her doing or saying something, what made him see that she saw them as friends, nothing more. He didn't know what to think about it and it made him confused, but as long as he got to spend time with her, he wasn't going to complain.

It was nothing surprising for him, that one of the first thoughts that slipped into his mind after realising that he was stuck in D.C. for Christmas, was that he wished he could spend this time with her. It was, however, a huge shock, when he was slowly walking down the path, which they usually took, and saw her sitting on one of the benches. He blinked a couple of times, thinking that it was impossible at first, but he quickly realised that he wasn't just seeing things. She was sitting there, with Levi at her side, the canine's head resting on her lap and his heart skipped a beat, because he knew that something was wrong.

He didn't waste time approaching her, and sat on the edge of the bench, gently touching her arm to get her attention. She jumped and gasped in shock, turning around with a surprise and fear mixed in her eyes. The latter was soon replaced by recognition and her panic lessened, although her heart was still beating quite furiously.

"Jack!" she exclaimed. "You scared me! What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same question. Weren't you supposed to at your brother's place by now?" he asked, watching her carefully, worried by the hint of sadness reflected in her eyes.

"My nephew brought measles from school and since I've never had it, me and my brother decided that it will be safer for me not to visit. What about you? Weren't you going to your parents?"

"My plane was cancelled because of the snowfall, and it's a little too late now to drive to get there on time, so I'm stuck here." she nodded, remembering the forecasts for the region showed in all the news as well as his hopes, that the weather would improve by now. It obviously hasn't and he was in a situation a little similar to hers. She sighed, lowering her gaze to her lap, but soon found herself forced to look at him again, when he gently raised her head with his hand. "What is it, Sue?" he asked, not withdrawing his hand, but using his thumb to gently caress her cheek. Her behaviour confirmed his worries that something was wrong and he really wanted to know what it was, so that he could find a way to help.

"Danielle, my brother's wife, is pregnant and it turned out that she wasn't immune… She's still early in her pregnancy and the doctors say that it's very dangerous for the baby at this stage… They do whatever is in their power to prevent it, but the doctors say that it may cause a miscarriage, birth defects and other problems…" she sighed, blinking a couple of times to prevent tears from coming to her eyes. "They were both so happy when they found out that they're going to have another baby and it'll kill them, if anything happens to it… It must be so difficult for them and I can't even be there to help somehow…"

Just a couple of months earlier, Jack would have just took her hand in his and squeezed it, trying to give her as much support and reassurance as possible this way, but at one point their relationship had taken a step forward, at least when it came to where the border for physical contact between them was. Now, he didn't hesitate to wrap his arm around her shoulders and pull her close, holding her in his arms, gently caressing her back and hoping, that it would make her feel at least a little bit better. And it did, much more than he probably suspected; it was why he has quickly become the person, who she was going to when she needed consolation. There was nothing, what made her feel better than his embrace, the feeling of safety it brought and the awareness that he was there for her whenever she needed him. So, she didn't put up any resistance this time either, just leaning to him and hiding her face in the crook of his neck.

Neither of them had any idea how long they just sat there, but they were soon brought back to Earth by the sound of Jack's phone ringing, which startled the man and made her withdraw. Drawing a circle on his chest with his fist, he reached to his pocket and wasn't surprised to see that it was his mother. He tried calling her earlier but she didn't answer, and he suspected that she must have been busy with his nephews and nieces or last-minute baking. She has probably just seen the three unanswered calls from him and was naturally calling him back.

"Hi Mom." he spoke, answering the silent question in Sue's eyes and stopped her, when she started to stand up. He knew that she probably just wanted to give him some privacy, but he didn't really feel like he needed it. "Yes, my plane's been cancelled. Tell them I'm sorry, I really hoped I'd get the chance to see them as well. Mom, I'll be fine. I've been taking care of myself for the last twenty years of my life." he narrowed his eyes, when he noticed Sue chuckle, when she guessed what his mother was telling him. "Actually, I'm not gonna be on my own; Sue was forced to stay in D.C. as well. Yes, I'm certain that she'll make sure I'm not going to eat a microwave pizza for Christmas dinner. Yes, I'll call tomorrow. I love you too. Bye."

"Is it your way of inviting yourself to me, Mr. Hudson?" she asked, although leaving him no doubts that she would have told him to come anyway. Christmas was the part of the year, which shouldn't be spend alone and she was actually quite happy (as much as it was possible under all the circumstances), that while she wasn't able to be with her family, she would get to be with her best friend.

"I see no problem with you and Levi coming to me, although I have to warn you that I do not have much food in the fridge besides the microwave pizza and some other ready meals. It's not like I've been shopping, when the plan was for me to be in Wisconsin."

"It's a good thing I've been aware I'm staying for the last two days then, or your mother's fears would come true." she smiled a little, but the smile quickly faded when she noticed his face expression.

"You've known for the last two days? Why didn't you say anything? I would have taken you to Wisconsin with me!" he frowned, when he realised that it wasn't true as they would have been both stuck here because of the weather. Still, she wouldn't have been staying home with the thought of spending Christmas alone.

"That'sexactly why I haven't said anything and forced Lucy not to do that, either. I knew that you would have insisted on me accompanying you and the last thing I wanted was to impose on your family." she admitted and when she refused to meet his gaze, he cupped her face again.

"Nonsense! They would have been happy if you had come with me!"

"It doesn't matter now, anyway. Let's go, though. It's starting to become quite cold and I'll make us a hot chocolate to get warm." she said, as she didn't really feel like fighting about it with him and after quite a long time spend on this bench, she was really starting to feel the low temperature. He nodded, standing up, and they were soon on their way to Sue's apartment.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Wow, I haven't expected such a response to the first chapter! I really appreciate every single review! They make my day better and make me want to write! Well, I hope this chapter is not going to disappoint you! ;)

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><p><strong>CHAPTER 2<strong>

The relatively short walk passed in silence, and even though he couldn't help feeling uncomfortable with it, he didn't break it. He didn't really know what to say, when she was obviously worrying about her brother and his family and just wrapped his arm around her shoulders as they walked, letting her know that he was there for her. He understood her feelings perfectly; if it was his brother or sister, he would worry about them as well. It was Sue, however; his caring, compassionate Sue, who always seemed even more affected by people's pain, no matter if they were her family, friends or just strangers, than everyone else. What he was afraid of was that it would influence her mood during the next couple of days. It wasn't that he could blame her or anyone for it, because it was understandable, but he still hoped that their first (and hopefully not last) Christmas together would pass in a very nice atmosphere. He was determined to make the most of this opportunity, but would it actually matter under those circumstances?

"I know it's easier said than done, but you have to believe that it's going to be okay…" he said, when she sat down on the couch next to him, placing the two mugs of steaming hot chocolate on the coffee table in front of them. He took her hand in his and gave it a gentle squeeze. He didn't let it go, though; instead, he held it, caressing its top with his thumb while waiting for her to respond.

It was yet once again, when she didn't really know what to think about the way Jack acted towards her. For some time now, he seemed to be much more open when it came to physical contact between them and while he was always protective and caring, it seemed to have intensified. There was also this tenderness about him, which made her heartbeat quicken, especially combined with this expression in his eyes, filled with emotions, which she didn't really know how to call. If it wasn't Jack Hudson in front of her, one of her first thoughts would probably be love, but she wasn't brave enough to believe it. She wanted to, of course, and the thought that she might be right gave her hope, which she didn't dare to have just a couple of months ago. She was aware that they've been balancing on a very thin border between being friends and being a couple for almost as long as she was in D.C., but this line got even thinner recently. There were even times, when she wondered if they haven't already crossed it one way or another, and she certainly wouldn't mind. Just like she had nothing about this change in Jack's attitude towards her.

"I know…" she spoke, smiling faintly at him. "I don't want to believe that God would do something like this to them on Christmas, but it's stronger than me… I wish I could at least help them somehow, maybe take care of Evan, but my brother didn't want to hear about me exposing myself to the virus, when there is a possibility that I might catch it."

"Of course, he didn't. Those sort of sicknesses are much more dangerous for adults than for children, and he didn't want to risk your health. I'm sure that if it was the other way around, you wouldn't want to risk his health, either."

She nodded, knowing that he was right and blushed a little, realising that when her thoughts drifted off to this image, the child she saw was a little dark-haired and brown-eyed boy, who was the spitting image of the man sitting right next to her. It wasn't the first time, though. The truth was that whenever she imagined herself being a mother, the first image, which would come to her mind was this very same little boy and it only made her see, how hopelessly in love she truly was. The worst thing was that it was getting increasingly more difficult to fight those feelings, even though she knew that she wasn't supposed to have them.

She couldn't know, of course, that his thoughts drifted off in the very same direction, the only difference being that instead of the little boy, he saw a little girl with blonde hair, hazel eyes, the sweetest of smiles and cute dimples. He has never really considered himself a man, who would want to settle down, have a wife and kids, at least until their undercover marriage. It was then, that he realised that his father was right, that it was all about finding the right woman and he perceived that Sue was the woman, who he could see himself sharing something like this with. It was then, that he started yearning for it whenever he had the chance to watch his siblings, his friends or even strangers with their families, but he couldn't imagine he could have it with anyone other than her.

She blushed a little deeper, when she looked up after a moment and met his eyes, which were fixed on her. He was watching her carefully and she felt like he was able to see through her, read her mind and know exactly what she has just imagined. Her first instinct was to look away, but she found herself quite unable to do it. It wasn't that rare for her to become transfixed by his gaze, especially if it was filled with so much warmth and tenderness, that she could almost feel herself melting under it. Her heart skipped a beat, when she felt his hand on the side of her face, his touch so gentle and warm, and when she managed to move her eyes to his lips, realising that he was speaking, she found it rather difficult to focus on reading them instead of remembering what they felt like upon her own.

"Give me a chance to make this Christmas nice." he said, his heart thundering in his chest.

It wasn't easy to speak, when the desire to just lean closer and capture her lips in a kiss was becoming somewhat overwhelming and very difficult to fight with. He was aware that it wouldn't be easy, that he was asking for a lot, but he really wanted her to think about the Christmas spent with him as about a good one. It took her a moment to respond, and she only managed a slight nod, afraid that any sudden movement might break the spell between them. It was almost impossible to think clearly, her heart was racing, the butterflies in her stomach were getting crazy, but she still liked those moments because of the way he was looking at her, giving her hope that her dreams of having a future with him might actually come true one day. If only she knew, what this feeling reflected in his eyes was..!

It was Jack, who eventually broke it, leaning closer and pressing his lips against her forehead. She sighed, closing her eyes; it wasn't exactly what she hoped for but she couldn't really complain. It was a sign of a real, very strong affection, possibly more evident than any other kiss, and it made her heart swell with love. He gently caressed her cheek with his thumb, while he waited for her to look at him again, his eyes absorbing the sight in front of him. She was so beautiful, not only when it came to her looks but also her personality, and he couldn't believe how many people seemed completely oblivious to it. He had no doubts they could see her outer beauty, he wasn't blind and saw how they were eying her, making him want to take claw their eyes out. It was amazing how their interest usually vanished the moment they found out she was deaf, as if it truly mattered so much. It was important, of course, he wasn't going to deny it, but it was just one of the layers of the woman in front of him, and he couldn't believe how many people wasn't able to see past that. Not that he truly saw it as a bad thing, because he wasn't sure he would be able to control himself if someone was hitting on HIS Sue. The only problem was, she wasn't exactly his, and he was too big of a coward to risk losing their friendship for something more.

He knew that he had to do something about it, especially if he wanted her to be an inseparable part of his life. Of course, she was right now even without taking this step, but the situation from the beginning of the year made him see that he was taking her presence for granted. Without taking any action, one day he was going to lose her in one way or another, and he knew that he wouldn't be able to live without her. He wanted her to be the constant element of his life and there was only one way, which could make him feel certain that it would happen.

"Sue…" he whispered, his hand slowly moving to the back of her head.

Her heart seemed to start beating even more furiously than earlier, when she looked up and met his eyes once again. His chocolate orbs were full of longing and so many emotions that she could almost feel herself melting under his intense gaze. Her eyes widened a little, when she realised his face was actually moving closer to hers, the silent question present in his eyes, which were now focused on her lips. She slowly lowered her eyelids as he was getting closer, leaning a little to him. She could almost feel his lips brushing against hers, she subconsciously raised her hand to touch his head, pull him a little closer to her, when he suddenly jerked away from her.

Her eyes snapped open, a blush covering her whole face when she realised what has just – almost – happened. In the first moment her heart sank, when she thought that he obviously remembered himself before he would do something he was going to regret, but when she met his gaze, she wasn't so sure anymore. His eyes seemed to be filled with longing, a silent apologies present in them as well as he reached to his pocket and took out his cell phone.

"Hudson." he growled, without even looking at the screen and his face expression changed a little, when he heard his sister's voice, asking if she called in a bad moment.

Sue stood up, using the opportunity to escape his company at least for a moment. Her heart beat was very slowly returning back to normal, but she still had a huge mess in her head. It seemed rather doubtless that if it wasn't for the call, they would actually kiss and she wasn't sure whether she felt happy or terrified by this idea. Oh, she definitely wanted him to do that, she loved him with her whole heart and dreamed about nothing more but taking this step forward in their relationship, but at the same time, she couldn't help but remembered that it could be different for him. She wasn't oblivious to his reputation at the bureau, she knew that there seemed to be quite a list of women, who he was involved with. The last thing she wanted was to be just another name on this list, he would rather not have him at all, than to find out that she was just another conquest. On the other hand, he didn't seem to be involved with anyone for quite some time now, ever since he broke up with Allie. But, did he? She didn't even know that, as he never really cared to share this little bit of information. Bobby possibly knew, but nobody else. From what she heard, however, their relationship was so complicated that it wouldn't be anything surprising to find out that they have decided to take another break from each other without truly finishing things off between them. Why would he show her that he cared about her, then? He could have a reputation, but the man she knew wouldn't play with her feelings this way… But did he actually try to show her that, or she was just reading too much in his actions?

She didn't realise that she was just standing in front of the counter and staring ahead until she felt his hand on her arm. She turned a little to look at him, and saw an apologetic smile on his face.

"It's getting late… I should go home…" he spoke, although he didn't really feel like leaving.

He wanted to stay, to hold her in his arms and show her how much he actually cared for her but the way she fled from the room told him that it wasn't a very good idea. He wasn't really sure how to interpret her actions; during this magical little moment, she didn't seem like she wanted to stop him from kissing her and yet, in the next, she ran away as quickly as it was possible. And how could he know whether or not he would have just made a fool of himself?

"Yeah… Umm… I'll see you tomorrow I guess..?"

"You can count on that." he said, smiling. There was no way he would miss the chance of spending this special day with her. "Goodnight, Sue." he said, taking a step forward and leaning closer, placing a gentle kiss on her cheek.

His smile widened a little, when he noticed her blush deepen a little, but then faded from his face, when the door to her apartment closed behind him. Even though he wasn't going to admit that out-loud, he was a little irritated by Amelia's ill timing and could only wonder, where would this evening lead them if she didn't call? It was one of those things he was never going to know. It wasn't long before he reached his place, but he knew that it was going to be a very long night, when all he could think about was how much he missed her presence, and what he wouldn't give to be able to just hold her in his arms.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Wow, I have to say I haven't expected such a response to this story! I thank you very much everyone for all your reviews and encouraging words. In case someone is wondering, my essay is going slowly but forward (and that's most important). Today I took a short break and thought I'd give you a small, a little belated present from Santa (as in Poland Santa visits the children on the 6th of December). It's a little shorter than the previous two, but I hope you're going to enjoy it anyway! :)

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><p><strong>CHAPTER 3<strong>

Just like he thought, everything indicated that it was going to be a very long night. Despite the fact that he was tired, the sleep just didn't want to come and, as it usually was in such a situation, his mind immediately drifted off to the person, who he wished he could be with right now. He kept wondering what would happen if Amelia didn't call in that particular moment. He would have kissed Sue, there could be absolutely no doubts about that, but what would her reaction be like? Would she have welcomed it, maybe even reciprocated the gesture, or would she have pushed him away and ordered him to leave?

The more he thought about it, the more he started to doubt the possibility of the latter. She couldn't have been oblivious to his intentions, and she really didn't look like someone, who would have been offended by them. Quite the contrary, she seemed rather inviting, if he could call it so, and it filled his heart with hope that when he would manage to make it clear how important she was to him, she wasn't going to push him away. The only problem was, that every time he gathered enough courage to do that, somebody decided to come or call, just like his sister did just a couple of hours earlier. Was he ever going to get a chance to change their relationship into something more than friendship?

It was around two in the morning, when he jumped on the bed, startled by the sound of his ringing cell phone. He glanced at the clock, thinking that the last time he looked at it, he read the time incorrectly but he didn't. Who could be crazy enough to be calling him in the middle of the night? He quickly realised that there was one person, currently staying in a small town on the other side of the world, where it was already an early evening, and who wouldn't take the time difference into consideration if he really wanted to share something with him. It couldn't be him, though; it wasn't the right ringtone and this realisation also ruled out his family members, what made his mind at ease when it came to the possibility of something happening to them. He still reached to the side of the bed as quickly as possible, recognising the tune as the one, he set specially for her, so he would know that it wasn't anyone else but her calling.

"Sue? Is everything okay?" he immediately asked, answering the phone, the panic rising inside him.

He was by now worried sick, knowing that something must have happened for her to make the call. There was no other reason why she would be awake at such an hour, and he could feel his stomach twist at the thought that something was wrong. He quickly got out of the bed and started to get dressed, ready to go to her and even her next words weren't able to prevent him from doing so.

"I'm fine, it's just… I had this nightmare again…" she spoke, her voice shaking a little.

He sighed with relief, as he now knew that it wasn't anything dangerous, but it didn't stop him from grabbing his keys, as well as the small bag, which he packed after returning home on the previous day and going out of the apartment. Everything was clear now, and he should have probably thought about it before he panicked, but it's been a while since the last time she called him because of this dream and he hoped that after such a long time, it wasn't going to return. He was obviously wrong and even though he was aware that just talking to her was all she needed to feel better, it wasn't enough for him. He wanted to hold her in his arms, make her feel safe and leave her no doubts, that he was there for her and wasn't going to let anyone hurt her.

It was shortly after her decision to stay, that she was kidnapped on her way back home after taking Levi for a walk. It was probably one of the most difficult cases he worked on during his whole career in the FBI, and whenever he thought about his own behaviour during that period, he wondered how it was possible that Dimitrius didn't take him off the case. Not only was he worried sick about her, but he also felt terribly guilty as it turned out that she was taken because of him. Luckily, everything turned out quite well and even though physically, she was perfectly fine, it was understandable that psychically, she was affected quite strongly. Everyone would after spending three long days locked in a completely dark basement, being on some lunatic's mercy, so it wasn't surprising that she kept having nightmares afterwards.

They weren't the only result of this experience, though. She has never really felt fully comfortable being on her own when it was dark, but it got much worse then. He still remembered Lucy's terrified voice, when the woman begged him to come as quickly as it was possible, because the power was out and Sue had a panic attack, and she couldn't calm her down. Lucy had no doubts that he would be able to do that; he seemed to be the only person, who could make Sue feel better recently. For a long time, she was also terrified of going to the park on her own, and it was then, that he started to spend almost every evening with her. At first he simply accompanied her during her walks with Levi, but then he also began to take her out to dinner, to a match, to the cinema and wherever else they felt like going to. Ironically, he hated this man because of the reason, which brought them so close.

It didn't take him long to get to her place, as there wasn't a lot of cars on the roads now; he was on the phone with her during his whole drive there, and she was obviously surprised, when he told her to let him in. The expression on her face, when she opened the door left no doubts that she didn't expect to see him, but she definitely didn't mind his presence. She was actually quite grateful that he came. She couldn't deny that while she made the call, she wished she could simply hide her face in his chest, feel him wrap his arms around her and make her feel completely safe again. She wouldn't ask him to come, though, but she was really happy now, that he was here.

The moment she locked the door and turned to him, he pulled her close. She sighed, closing her eyes and hiding her face in the crook of his neck, while he lifted her from the ground and, after a short moment of hesitation, carried her to her bedroom. He carefully placed her on the bed and smiled lightly at her, when she reached out her arms, reluctant to let him go. Taking off his coat, which he was still wearing, he threw it on a chair and joined her on the bed. She immediately moved close to him, hiding her face in his chest, while he wrapped his arms tightly around her and held her close. She snuggled as close to him as it was only possible, and enjoyed his presence and closeness. His embrace was always able to make her feel safe and loved, and it wasn't any different this time; as long as he was there, she knew that nothing was going to happen to her.

They were just lying there in silence, and there was no need for words to be spoken. Sue had absolutely no doubts that Jack's presence beside her was exactly what she needed, there was nowhere else she wanted to be than his arms. She could feel his hand gently caressing her back in a reassuring gesture, his lips pressing gentle kisses on top of her head and it wasn't long before she relaxed enough to fall asleep. Noticing that, and feeling the fatigue slowly winning over him as well, he carefully rolled them, so that he was lying on his back. Sue didn't even stir; she just snuggled to his side, placing one of her arms across his chest and made herself comfortable.

"You'll always be safe with me, Sweetheart…" he whispered, placing a longer kiss on the top of her head before closing his eyes as well.

It was difficult to believe that just some time earlier he was lying in his own bed and wishing he could hold her in his arms. It wasn't exactly what he had in mind then, but it felt good to be here for her, when she needed him. It was enough that she was there, in his arms, where she belonged; there was nothing more he needed. There was a gentle smile on his face, when he dozed off, undoubtedly caused by four simple words, which she whispered in her sleep.

"I love you, Jack…"


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Once again, thank you everyone for reading this story. I haven't even imagined such a response to the story, and it makes me feel so happy when I read that you're enjoying this little idea! I hope I won't disappoint you! :)

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><p><strong>CHAPTER 4<strong>

When he woke up in the morning, one of his first thoughts was that he couldn't remember the last time he slept so well during the night. The gentle smile returned to his face, when he realised that despite changing positions during the night, he has never really let go of Sue. He was now lying on his side, her back pressed against his chest, his arm wrapped around her waist from behind, holding her close. He leaned closer, hiding his face in her hair, breathing in her scent mixed with the fruity fragrance of her shampoo, still lingering on her hair and let out a content sigh. It was difficult for him to imagine a better morning; after all, what could a guy want more, than to wake up with the woman of his life in his arms, now knowing that she loved him as well?

It was only after a moment that he started to wonder, whether she was going to remember that she said those three wonderful words to him. His good mood faded when he understood that she most probably wouldn't; she was asleep and it was rather clear that she whispered them subconsciously. In all likelihood, they weren't even directed at him, but a Jack in her dream and the more he thought about it, the more convinced he was that she wouldn't be aware of this little slip. It didn't destroy his happiness completely though; the thought that she was dreaming about him warmed his heart, and he had no doubts that she truly meant what she whispered. Being aware of that made it much easier for him to think about confessing his own feelings, as he now knew that he wasn't going to make a full of himself and get brutally rejected.

Even though at one moment his whole body screamed at him to move, he kept lying like this until he heard her take a deep breath and felt her stir, stretching lazily. She slowly turned, so she was facing him and opened her eyes. A gentle blush spread onto her cheeks, when she met his intense gaze and she held her breath, when he reached out his hand to brush a strand of hair away from her face, tucking it behind her ear. She probably shouldn't be surprised that he allowed his hand to remain there, his fingertips caressing her cheek tenderly and tracing the outline of her jaw.

"Good morning…" he spoke, his voice a little husky as he was fighting with the desire to lean closer and brush his lips against hers. It wasn't a good moment, though. He certainly wasn't going to wait long to tell or show her how he felt, not when every single cell in his body screamed for her closeness now, that he knew that she was his, but she still deserved to find out under more romantic circumstances than that.

"Good morning." she smiled sleepily and his heart skipped a beat, when she moved closer to him and pressed her lips against his stubbly cheek. "Thank you for staying with me…" she said, the colour of her cheeks deepening, her heartbeat quickening when she noticed his famous, and gorgeous smile appear on his face.

"Anytime you need me." he said, leaning towards her and placing a loving kiss on her forehead. "Now, since you're awake and today is Christmas, are there any particular traditions that you can't imagine this day without?" he asked, knowing that even with the general idea being the same, her family most probably celebrated this special day slightly differently than his, and as he wanted to make this day as perfect as it was only possible, he needed to know those little things.

"The biggest tradition at my home was usually spending the day together… In the morning, we would all gather in the living room, where there was always a huge tree with handmade decorations, which my mom insisted on making every year. The rule was that we couldn't open the presents, when the whole family wasn't there, so me and my brothers would always drag my dad out of the bed, as he was the last one to get up. After Christmas dinner, we would go to church for the ceremonial mass and stay for the concert of carols, organised by the local primary school every year. And ever since we grew up and moved out of the family house, in the evening, after the kids went to bed, we would gather in the living room again, drink hot chocolate, eat gingerbreads and talk about everything what happened since the last time we had the chance to be all together in one place…"

"I see my family isn't the only one, which insists on spending this holiday together." he said, reaching out his hand and starting to play with a lock of her hair. "We always had guests, so the house was full of people. My mom would also be the first one to get up and she would be making cinnamon rolls. You can guess that the house was full of their aroma! The moment one of us, kids, would be up, they would get the rest out of the bed and while Matt and Mike would try to make the rest of the adults get up, me and Amelia would sneak into the kitchen and steal some of the rolls. It's a tradition I actually still keep, even though my partner in crime decided that she's too old for that. We would open the gifts all together as well and after breakfast, we would go to church. After returning home, my grandma, mom and sometimes also one or two of my aunts, would start preparing the dinner, while the rest of the family would go out and participate in a traditional Hudson snowball fight. The dinner itself was always very long, as you can probably imagine the number of stories to be shared, when there was a lot of family members, who we would see just once a year or even rarer! And, it was also a local tradition, that our family would start the sort of march of carollers from our side of town, and more families would join us as we walked past their houses and eventually everyone would gather on a square, where all the local events take place and people from all the parts of my hometown would sing carols together."

Sue was smiling, reading his lips. The expression on his face left no doubts that as he described everything, he was practically able to see it all in front of his eyes. Also, she wasn't able not to chuckle thinking about Jack as a little boy and even now, as a grown-up man, trying to get into the kitchen unnoticed, so that he could get an extra number of his favourite treats. It really sounded like him! She could also see, that he was very fond of this traditions and probably regretted that he didn't get the chance to take part in this celebration this year.

She understood his feelings perfectly, because she felt the same way. Of course, she liked the idea of spending Christmas with him very much, but she still wished she could see the members of her family, who she hasn't seen in a long time. This year was supposed to be special, as all her brothers said they would be at their parents' house for the Christmas dinner for the first time in several years. It was why she was supposed to stay at her brother's, as her family house would be way too crowded for everyone to fit in. Yet, obviously, it didn't work out and all she could do was wait for an another opportunity like this.

"It is what I like about the small town societies, you know? Those little traditions, that during some important events or holidays, people all gather to celebrate it together in one way or another…" she sighed, knowing that there was a very small chance of something like this happening in D.C. It was possible that there were similar events, yet she was certain that it wouldn't be the same.

"But, we're going to enjoy our time here, this year!" he said, as if reading her mind. "And now, I believe it is time to open the presents!"

He grinned at her, getting out of the bed and approaching her side before she even got the chance to react. Using this fact, he slipped his arms under her and picked her up. She squealed, as she didn't expect it, and wrapped her arms around his neck, allowing him to carry her all the way to the living room. She smiled, when her eyes fell on the present bag, which she placed there on the previous evening. She planned to have it sent to Wisconsin, so he could open it along with other gifts, which he would surely receive from his family, but with her mind occupied by her brother's problems, she completely forgot. It turned out for the best, though, as she now had the chance to give it to him in person.

Seeing how impatient he was, she watched him carefully as he spread the bag and peeked in. She smiled, when she noticed a huge grin return to his face, as he took out a small box with matte black, rectangular cufflinks and a red sweatshirt with white and dark blue wide stripes going through the sleeves and a Washington Capitals' logo on the front.

"It's great, Sue! Thank you!" he said, leaning to her and kissing her cheek. He chuckled, when he noticed her blush, her cheeks getting a similar colour to his gift and his heart skipped a beat. He immediately started to wonder if she was even aware of how cute she looked when she was blushing, especially wearing a light blue teddy bear pyjamas. "Your turn." he noted, seeing that she hasn't even looked into her bag, yet.

The first thing she took out was a square box with a beautiful silver bracelet with a floral pattern, followed by a snow globe. There was an ice-skater inside, making a pirouette with the D.C. panorama in the background and the artificial snow glittering in different colours while falling down. It was only after a moment that she noticed an engraved plate attached to its base, and she could feel tears coming to her eyes, as she read the words on it. "You're the most special in my life and I'll never know what I've done to deserve you, Jack." She blinked a couple of times, trying to prevent herself from crying as she looked up at him.

"Jack… Thank you…" she whispered, wrapping her arms around his neck and hugging him tightly. He held her for a moment, cupping her face when she eventually moved away and wiping her cheeks with his thumbs.

"Oh, Sweetheart... Don't cry…" he said and she nodded her head, smiling a little. "You _are _very special to me…" he added, looking her in the eyes before shifting his gaze to her lips.

It didn't skip her attention, as well as the way he was looking at her, his dark eyes so full of longing. She could feel all the butterflies wake up in her stomach, when he started to close the gap between their faces. She sighed, closing her eyes, when she felt his lips eventually touch hers, shyly at first, as if afraid of her reaction. Just this gentle caress was able to make her forget about the whole world around them; there was only the man in front of her on her mind and the feeling of his soft lips, which she has so often dreamed about. She didn't hesitate for even a second to reciprocate the tender gesture and his heart skipped a beat, when he felt her respond. It could have not been technically their first kiss, but it was certainly the first real one they shared. It wasn't a response to the situation, like one in Callahan there was no story behind it, no reason other than the fact, that they were in love and finally found their way to each other. It was a gentle, tender caress, full of love and all the unspoken feelings filling their hearts, which they now put into this kiss.

"Jack…" she whispered, opening her eyes, when they reluctantly parted because of lack of an air. She could feel a gentle, pleasant shiver run through her body when she met his darkened gaze.

"I love you, Sue…" he spoke quietly, his voice a little husky and saw her eyes fill with tears once again.

"Oh, Jack…" she said, while she moved her hand to his face and caressed his cheek tenderly. "I love you, too…"

This time it was her, who pressed her lips against his in a loving kiss, although a much shorter than the previous one. When their eyes met once again, they knew that they have just moved past a point, where there was no possibility to step back, but neither of them wanted to turn around. She just smiled at him and settled against his chest, feeling his quickened heartbeat, when he pulled her close and wrapped his arms tightly around her. They were exactly in the place, where their hearts were trying to lead them to for a long time now, happy that they finally managed to get there.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:** It was supposed to be written a long time ago, but with all the things happening in my life, I ended up with a terrible writer's block. I am fighting it now, and I will do my best not to make you wait so long for another update, especially that this story is slowly coming to an end. Hope you're going to enjoy it and Merry Christmas everyone!

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><p><strong>CHAPTER 5<strong>

As much as they would love to spend the whole day in each other's arms, it wasn't really possible. It definitely didn't mean the end of the bliss, though; it was just the beginning.

If someone had the chance to watch the two of them in the morning, they would never believe that they have confessed their love just few moments earlier. They looked like a couple, who lived together for at least a couple of months, got to know each other's habit's very well, and also managed to come up with a perfectly working routine. Sue was the first one to take the bathroom, showering while Jack took Levi for a walk. He returned just in time to take a shower himself, before breakfast was ready. He even managed to make a coffee for them, having no problem with moving around the kitchen and finding everything he needed, and steal a kiss before he got kicked out by Sue, because he was distracting her too much.

After the meal, they decided to go to church. Jack has never really been a very religious person, and neither was his whole family, but there were times during a year, when taking part in a mass was an absolute must. It was only when he came to D.C., that he drifted off this path and went to church pretty much only during his visits to Wisconsin, but he was still happy to accompany Sue there. The church was small and he could see a lot of people turn their heads in their direction. They all knew the beautiful young blonde, who they have already seen her in church a lot of times; she was quite a memorable person, as it wasn't very common to see a person walk into the church in the company of a golden retriever. However, they were very curious, who was the mysterious, handsome man at her side, who they have never seen before. What they had no doubts about was that he had to be very special to her. Love was pretty much radiating out of the two of them; it was visible in the way they kept glancing in each other's direction or in the glances they shared and it brought smiles to a lot of faces.

"Since it is such a beautiful day, what would you say about a walk in the park?" he asked, taking her hand into his when they walked out of the church after the mass ended.

"Sounds good to me." she grinned.

They slowly made their way to the park, and just like they expected, it wasn't very full of people. It couldn't be a surprise to anyone, as most of the people was probably spending their time at home, with their families. Levi was very happy at the opportunity to run around, when Sue let him off the leash, while they slowly walked down the path in silence. It wasn't an uncomfortable silence, full of tension, which they experienced a lot of times in the past. They didn't need words now; Jack's shoulder wrapped around her shoulders and holding her close, Sue's form against his and the looks they exchanged every now and then were speaking volumes and were perfectly enough.

"I have to admit that my suggestion wasn't exactly innocent…" he eventually spoke, surprising her when he let go of her shoulders and stopped walking.

"What do you mean?" she asked, having no idea what he could mean.

"I figured out that this is the perfect place to keep one of the traditions…" he said, increasing her curiosity even more. She was watching him carefully as he took a few steps away from her, leaning down. When he turned around to look in her direction again, she noticed him form a ball in his hands and the realisation hit her.

"Didn't you say it was a Hudson snowball fight?" she asked, taking a few steps back and taking some snow into her hands, to form her own weapon.

"It is, but it's a good moment to prepare you to face an army of Hudsons when I take you to spend Christmas in Wisconsin one day."

"I can't participate in a family battle! I'm not a Hudson!"

"Not yet." he grinned and used the fact that she was staring at him, completely dumbfounded by the two last words she read on his lips, to launch the snowball at her.

She was gotten out of her little daze, when it collided with her shoulder and it wasn't long before it was an open battle. They were throwing snowballs at each other, running around and laughing hard, until the eventual armistice. It wasn't the end of their fooling around, though; everyone, who witnessed their play, shook their heads with amused smiles plastered to their faces as they watched the two adults, who reminded them more of kids, very excited because of the snow. They eventually laid down on the ground, making snow angels while Levi jumped around them excitedly, wanting to be a part of whatever game the two humans were playing.

"I don't remember the last time my stomach hurt so bad from all the laughter." admitted Jack, rolling to his side and looking at her.

He reached his hand to her face, brushing a strand of hair away from her face, smiling when he noticed her cheeks redden even more, than they were graced because of the cool air and their fun. He couldn't help wondering if she was aware of how cute she looked like blushing, how much he loved to see her redden like this, especially if he was the reason behind it. Actually, it was a little difficult to find something he didn't love about her and he certainly wouldn't be able to come up with anything if asked. Smiling at her, he leaned closer and pressed his lips against hers, engaging her in a loving kiss.

"I can't help thinking that it is all too good to be true…" she admitted, when they parted, finding it a little difficult to focus, while he kept gently caressing her face.

"What do you mean?" he asked, his eyebrows furrowing when he started to wonder what was going on inside her head.

"Us, Jack. You have no idea how many times I dreamed about something like this, finding out that you feel the same way about me and now, that I have the chance to actually experience it, I feel like it must be some sort of a wonderful dream, and Levi is going to jump onto the bed soon and wake me up."

"Well, if it is indeed a dream, I definitely don't want to be woken up from it." he said, hovering over her while he captured her lips again.

It was supposed to be just another gentle, loving kiss, but it was quickly getting out of control. The whole world around them stopped existing, while all they could focus on was the feeling of the other once so close to them, their lips and tongues engaged in a passionate play, their hands travelling and exploring a little. They were reminded about its existence only when their favourite canine decided to get bolder with trying to get their attention and jumped on top of them.

"Levi!" exclaimed Sue, when she felt Jack's body suddenly fall heavily onto hers, pinning her to the ground.

"Sorry, Sue. You alright?" he spoke, raising himself quickly when the dog jumped off him and sat on the ground, looking at the golden retriever after he saw her nod. "While I have to admit it was probably the right thing, that you didn't let us get too carried away, you have to learn to be a little subtler, Buddy." he spoke, patting the dog's head.

"Let's go back home Jack, before our furry chaperone gets really angry." said Sue, standing up and flicking the snow off her clothes as much as it was possible.

He smiled, getting up to his feet as well. He could be reading a little too much into it, but his heart still skipped a beat when he heard her speak about going home the way, which sounded like she was thinking about _their_ home, although the apartment wasn't exactly that. He would love for it to be fully true, and he could only promise himself – one day it would be.


End file.
